Really pale RED sps

[tmantaylor18]

My SPS look good genereally but my red/pink/purple sps are all somewhat bleached looking. To be specific, my red planet, red dragon, red milli, and garf bonsai are all really pale. All my other SPS looks great and is growing well. My basic parameters including cal, alk, N03, po4, and mg are in check and stable.

Ive read that potassium could affect them? Any input would be great.

 

[sahin]

Are you using LED lighting? If so which one or is it DIY?

Feeding your fishes a fair bit more whilst trying to keep PO4 at the same level should help improve these colours.

If the feeding doesnt help you may need an adjustment in your lighting spectrum.

 

[sahin]

As an example, here is my Pink Millepora (I'm not too good with ID's).

It now looks like this:

Here is another shot:

The colour has deepened after about 10 days of intense feeding. I run the ATI T5/LED Powermodule over my tank.

 

[tmantaylor18]

Are you using LED lighting? If so which one or is it DIY?

Feeding your fishes a fair bit more whilst trying to keep PO4 at the same level should help improve these colours.

If the feeding doesnt help you may need an adjustment in your lighting spectrum.

yeah the lighting might help you lol. It's a 6x24 watt ATI fixture. 4 blue +, 1 coral +, one purple +. I run the coral + and purple + for 9 hours, and the blue + for 7 hours.

I did start to feed more and while the red corals did get some more color, I also had a pretty nasty algae outbreak. Im only skimming for filtration on this tank so maybe I need to kick it up with a gfo reactor? It's just weird though because all other colors look good.

 

[sahin]

yeah the lighting might help you lol. It's a 6x24 watt ATI fixture. 4 blue +, 1 coral +, one purple +. I run the coral + and purple + for 9 hours, and the blue + for 7 hours.

I did start to feed more and while the red corals did get some more color, I also had a pretty nasty algae outbreak. Im only skimming for filtration on this tank so maybe I need to kick it up with a gfo reactor? It's just weird though because all other colors look good.

You shouldnt really have an issue with that T5 combo. However, you can remove 1 Blue+ and add another Coral+ to see if that helps.

I would also install a GFO reactor, and start feeding a bit more. Once you've got the GFO online, GO EASY at first, ie use half the recommended amount, then icrease GFO amount until you hit 0.03ppm. Once you've reached 0.03ppm start feeding a mixture of foods:

1. PE Mysis
2. Rods Foods
3. Add a bit of decent flake food.
4. Oyster-Feast for the SPS etc.
5. Reef-Roids etc

Keep the water changes to at least 15% weekly for the first 6 weeks.

As long as you keep PO4 under or at 0.03ppm and keep up the water changes you shouldnt have algae issues.

IF you have algae issues currently, then add the GFO, add a decent CUC and then start the feeding, but take it slow.

Report back in 3 months. Seriously, report back for the sake of others learning from your experience and the reason I say in 3 months because it wont happen in a couple of weeks.

Hope this is useful. And good luck.

 

[tmantaylor18]

Thanks for the suggestions sahin, thats awesome. Do you think that my issue would only be affecting the red/purple corals though?

Also what GFO setup would you suggest for 40 gallons of total water volume?

 

[trueblackpercula]

Thanks for the suggestions sahin, thats awesome. Do you think that my issue would only be affecting the red/purple corals though?

Also what GFO setup would you suggest for 40 gallons of total water volume?

First off adding GFO should be done very slow. I would add 2 tablespoons to a filter sock and add it to the sump. Be carful with as it strips the water very fast and your Sps will become even lighter.

Michael

Ps I use three tablespoon ful on my 120 gallon with a 20 gallon sump.

 

[sahin]

Thanks for the suggestions sahin, thats awesome. Do you think that my issue would only be affecting the red/purple corals though?

Also what GFO setup would you suggest for 40 gallons of total water volume?

As long as you have established that you dont have PESTS such as AEFW's and RedBugs...then the most likely issue is a spectrum issue hence my suggestion to replace a Blue+ with a Coral+, OR increasing the food input as per my suggestion should sort things out.

My suggestion also includes carrying out decent water changes...if there was any lack of certain elements, the water changes will sort that out.

You are in the USA right, so BRS regular GFO is just fine. Make sure you have a decent PO4 test kit.

Its probably a very good idea to start the GFO on 1/4 BRS recommended amount.

I should have asked this yesterday, but how old is that tank? If the tank is under 6 months old then perhaps the corals just need time to colour up.

Even so, it wont hurt at all to carry out my suggestion. As long as water changes are kept up, GFO is utilised safely and regularly, then feeding the way I described should kept you very good SPS colour.

 

[jda]

What are your actual parameters?

 

[tdb320reef]

What are your actual parameters?

+1 pictures and params.

 

[tmantaylor18]

First off adding GFO should be done very slow. I would add 2 tablespoons to a filter sock and add it to the sump. Be carful with as it strips the water very fast and your Sps will become even lighter.

Michael

Ps I use three tablespoon ful on my 120 gallon with a 20 gallon sump.

thanks for the advice

As long as you have established that you dont have PESTS such as AEFW's and RedBugs...then the most likely issue is a spectrum issue hence my suggestion to replace a Blue+ with a Coral+, OR increasing the food input as per my suggestion should sort things out.

My suggestion also includes carrying out decent water changes...if there was any lack of certain elements, the water changes will sort that out.

You are in the USA right, so BRS regular GFO is just fine. Make sure you have a decent PO4 test kit.

Its probably a very good idea to start the GFO on 1/4 BRS recommended amount.

I should have asked this yesterday, but how old is that tank? If the tank is under 6 months old then perhaps the corals just need time to colour up.

Even so, it wont hurt at all to carry out my suggestion. As long as water changes are kept up, GFO is utilised safely and regularly, then feeding the way I described should kept you very good SPS colour.

I'll try out another coral + with my next replacement in a couple months. Im already doing 25% water changes weekly but I think GFO will be a big help, might even be able to do them a little less frequently. Im feeding mysis, cylopeeze, reef chilli, and oyster feast now. Anything else you would recommend?

+1 pictures and params.

Po4 - .03
No3 - 0
dkh - 9
cal - 430

garf bonsai are the left two frags. notice how pale they are.

more pics

 

[sahin]

Your coral colours arent bad at all to be honest. Yes, the Garfs are pale...but that could actually be due to high light intensity. Apart from the Red Milli, the other corals mentioned in the first post usually do fine with lower light...something to consider...

Are you positive the corals in question are pest free?

Like I said, earlier, if no pests, then continue the feeding, utilise GFO to keep PO4 under 0.03ppm, and KEEP UP the water changes EACH week.

Your corals look quite nice in the last two photos...I can lots of colourful acros.

 

[tmantaylor18]

Im positive that I dont have redbugs since I got rid of them about 4 months back. I've looked at all the smooth skin acros closely and there are no bite marks from flatworms.

I'll try relocating the garf to a lower spot in the tank and grab some GFO. Thanks for the help Sahin

 

[trueblackpercula]

I really think after seeing your pictures your tank is ULNSYSTEM feed your sps a little more and you should get the colors your looking for.

 

[shih87]

May we also know your parameters such as below...

Potassium, Iron, iodide, Fe?

Especial potassium which IMHO it help reddish color.

 

[tmantaylor18]

May we also know your parameters such as below...



Potassium, Iron, iodide, Fe?



Especial potassium which IMHO it help reddish color.

I was thinking that could be the problem too. Honestly I don't test for those elements but am thinking I should look into potassium and iodide. Have you dosed either before with success?

 

[shih87]

I was thinking that could be the problem too. Honestly I don't test for those elements but am thinking I should look into potassium and iodide. Have you dosed either before with success?

Simple water change (but I only did 6% water change weekly)I can't keep my potassium to 400ppm, so I dose KZ PIF regularly and KCl to keep it up 400ppm. Potassium drop under 360ppm I will see red color fading.

 

[sahin]

I was thinking that could be the problem too. Honestly I don't test for those elements but am thinking I should look into potassium and iodide. Have you dosed either before with success?

The best Potassium test kit IMO is the Salifert.

In any event, my suggestion to carry out at least 15% water changes for 6 week minimum would have sorted out any elemental imbalances. If you are running a Zeovit system, then for sure you need to dose Potassium etc, otherwise IME regular water changes take care of it.

There are many ways to run a tank, you can have it as simple or as complicated as you like. Both ways can work.

Take a look at most of the successful tanks out there...they utilise the basics, keep things consistent, have a HIGH IMPORT+HIGH EXPORT methodology.

The answer to most peoples SPS problems (assuming no pests etc) is right there...you just need to stick to it for a few months and colours will follow.

 

[shih87]

The best Potassium test kit IMO is the Salifert.

In any event, my suggestion to carry out at least 15% water changes for 6 week minimum would have sorted out any elemental imbalances. If you are running a Zeovit system, then for sure you need to dose Potassium etc, otherwise IME regular water changes take care of it.

There are many ways to run a tank, you can have it as simple or as complicated as you like. Both ways can work.

Take a look at most of the successful tanks out there...they utilise the basics, keep things consistent, have a HIGH IMPORT+HIGH EXPORT methodology.

The answer to most peoples SPS problems (assuming no pests etc) is right there...you just need to stick to it for a few months and colours will follow.

Agree, Salifert is the only P+ test kit that I know how to handle the reading

Regarding water change, I use to change water 15~20% weekly, but I found myself hard to not making mistake on the new water ( temperature since Taiwsn summer is too hot and winter is cold enough, KH , etc...) for a long run, so KZ salt which suggest less than 10% water change fit me best. It is true many tanks success via large import/export to keep tank parameter healthy.

Many of my friends think I run a tank a complicate way ( which is true), but the fact my tank pass much more times owner out of town longer than 4 weeks than others tanks I know, since automation and keep it steady are part of my equation to maintain a tank

 

[tdb320reef]

bring nitrate up to .2 and keep phos. down.